Tag Archives: M&T Bank

It’s hard to think that just last week was MDP graduation. It was the last time that all of us would be together as one group, as MDPs. It seems funny that less than a year ago, the 40 of us in the green group and the other 40 in the gold group did not know each other. At this time last year we were all thinking about enjoying the last few weeks of the summer before our real world journey began.

Graduation week was fun with happy hour events, a boat cruise, a capstone project, final thoughts, and a conversation with Mark Czarnecki, the President of M&T and the COO. Now, I know what you must be thinking when I say graduation and no there were no cap and gown or diplomas; however we did receive our 1 year anniversary gifts and a class picture which we had taken the first week.

Most people aren’t as lucky as I was to be able to learn about a great company, make instant friends because of a common experience being in the program, and have a true hands on experience on the job that never once felt like an internship which often times programs can. If I had to go back and do it over, I would do it again in a heart beat. I am one of the lucky ones of my friends from college, who love what they do. Who enjoy going to work every day and has found something I am passionate about. So I encourage you to consider M&T’s MDP program or another development program if you feel that it is right for you. Never take a job because someone else says its good or someone tells you to do it. Take a job because it scares you, take a job because it makes you nervous, often times those are the best experiences. But hey, I have only been in the working world for a year so what do I know.

With MDP now over and for those of you who have followed this blog over the course of my first year in the real world, you must be thinking what next? Well, I will work as a Business and Planning Analyst in the Innovation Center of Excellence. It is an exciting time for banking and don’t worry my blogging doesn’t stop just because the program is over. No way! I am in the real world to stay and this is just the beginning of my journey in Corporate America. I have ambition and big dreams which I intend to make a reality.

I want to officially announce that I have accepted a position with M&T as part of their MDP program for the 2014-15 year. I will be starting July 14th in Buffalo and the program will run through the end of June 2015. So be ready because I will be blogging all through out the year about the program and my experience during my first year of full-time employment.

I have known for a little over two months about the employment opportunity but I wanted to grow comfortable with the idea of the job myself and let my immediate family members know before going public with the opportunity that I have. The recruitment process was not an easy one for me (12 interviews later, I got the job – blog post to follow); however, I am extremely grateful to be graduating in May with a full-time job unlike many of my peers I graduated high school with but I thank RIT’s preparation and my hard work over the last four years and the great support system I have had.

The program I have been accepted into is called the Management Development Program (MDP) and involves building skills that will be needed for future leaders in the business world. As part of the program, all MDPs are part of their own department and hired into a role within a specific department. They are also part of the MDP program which involves 10 weeks of management training. My on the job training will be in the Central Technology Division at M&T working with the online and mobile banking.

I am very excited for this opportunity as it will give me the chance to use my project management skills, MIS skills acquired in my MBA program and my online marketing knowledge from my BS degree in New Media Marketing.

I am excited to work for a constantly expanding company and even though, I could never have imagined myself in banking before applying – I am excited about the opportunity that I have with the MDP program at M&T.

I am also very excited to share my experience with you over the next year starting with the preparations I make before I start this new journey and next stage of my life!